Tuesday, May 20, 2008

All that & a ... is a great blog by P. Kim Bui. She says her site is a place "for everything you never knew you wanted." And we have to say we love that mentality. Kim was also nice enough to feature Kanibal Home's milk glass bottles in a post today. Check out the following.

You can also view KH's mention by visiting: http://decorazzi.allthatanda.com/2008/05/20/milk-glass-at-kanibal-home/

Monday, May 19, 2008

The weather outside ... was delightful. But for the second Saturday in a row Kanibal Home was traversing the trade show scene. This past weekend: International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF).

Javits on a sunny Saturday isn't our favorite spot, but we do love the ICFF. Unfortunately we weren't that impressed. Partnered up with a reporter friend, we wound our way through the booths in record time. At the end of the show, we couldn't pinpoint any clear superstars but we did extract some favorites -- highlighted below.

Undergrowth Design makes these incredible ceramics. The silver lipstick marks on the cups and "coffee rings" on the saucers are right up our alley.

Showpony is based in Glasgow and we love their tongue-in-cheek style. The vintage purse tote bags are all printed on organic fair-trade cotton and screen printed with water-based inks. Just another example of design that is ecologically friendly and fashionable.

Hiding Place purses from Showpony. Some people have design obsessions with owls, we have a thing for insects. And we love the hide-and-seek nature of this purse. The pattern is cute and whimsical when first viewed, but inside the folds are spiders, crickets, beetles, etc.

Hello, have we met? This is a modern take on a vintage form, but we can't help falling in love with it all over again. It's just a chair, sure, but when you sit down, tuck your legs up and recline back it feels more like a cocoon than a piece of furniture. Chair by Barcelona Design.

And to end our posting about ICFF, another chair from Barcelona Design. Can't you just see this is the corner of a study or as a sexy accent chair next to your bed?

Sunday, May 11, 2008

The weather people had predicted rain, but this past Saturday didn't have a drop in the air. Actually, the sun was shining and the temperature was mild. It's not to say we wouldn't have attended the Brooklyn Designs show if it had been raining ... it just would have been a lot harder to get out of bed.

That said -- sun still shining -- the show was a real treat. May being another trade show season month, we sometimes get burnt out and it takes a lot to get excited. But there were some real stars at Brooklyn Designs. Of course there was some expected superstars, like Palo Samko (who always rocks our world), but each of the four destinations had at least one designer or company that made our heart stutter. Kanibal Home likes home designs that are as functional as they are fashionable, and the following really appeals to all of our sensibilities.

We were excited to check out Lois Aronow Ceramics. Her pieces are hand thrown and have just the most amazing texture -- a rough glazing combined with a velvety smooth ceramic surface. And they are microwave and dishwasher safe (KH: Really? Lois: Yup. KH: *Silent while we contemplate how we love dishware, but hate hand washing anything*). We especially loved her new line of mugs.

Lotta Jansdotter is another designer we were excited to check out. Clean lines that show the artistry behind the design lends a special, handmade feel to each print. We really liked these bags and pencil cases for spring.

Another company definitely worth mentioning is BazzdeGrant Jewelers. Fiends for vintage treasures, their jewelry felt like home. It was as if someone took our our favorite finds and laced them into exquisite jewelry -- marrying a love for one-of-a-kind objects with an aesthetic that is driving us to obsess about owning one of their pieces.

So, all in all, we had a great time at Brooklyn Designs this weekend. It reinvigorated us for the trade show circuit and, instead of being tired, we are looking forward to ICFF next weekend. Check back soon ...

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

What a pleasant surprise. We've been spending a lot of time checking out the local trade shows (Accessories/Moda/Fame on Sunday, Designers & Agents on Monday and more to come next weekend), so we are always happy to see that all our hard work and attention to detail is being appreciated. Check out the fantastic review of Kanibal Home's Vintage Camera Pillow in Chocolate in today's Austin American Statesman's Design Notebook blog:

Kanibal Home

We are a home furnishings and lifestyle store rooted in the belief that history is the heart of the home. Kanibal Home’s offerings include refurbished vintage furniture, found objects & new home decor, apparel and gift items. “Pretty things” can make life better, but they can also be better for life. Kanibal Home repurposes goods, devouring the old and creating something new.